The case was closed. Until people started dying… The unputdownable first DI Ridpath crime thriller from bestseller MJ LeeA killer in total control. A detective on the edge. A mystery that HAS to be solved.DI Thomas Ridpath was on the up in the Manchester CID: a promising young detective whose first case involved capturing a notorious serial killer. But ten years later he’s recovering from a serious illness and on the brink of being forced out of the police. Then people start dying: tortured, murdered, in an uncanny echo of Ridpath’s first case.As the investigation intensifies, old bodies go missing, records can’t be found and the murder count grows. Caught in a turf war between the police and the coroner’s office, digging up skeletons some would rather forget, Ridpath is caught in a race against time: a race to save his career, his marriage… And lives.When a detective goes missing everything is on the line. Can Ridpath close the case and save his colleague?

About the Author:

M J Lee has spent most of his adult life writing in one form or another. As a university researcher in history, he wrote pages of notes on reams of obscure topics. As a social worker with Vietnamese refugees, he wrote memoranda. And, as the creative director of an advertising agency, he has written print and press ads, TV commercials, short films and innumerable backs of cornflake packets and hotel websites. He has spent 25 years of his life working outside the north of England, in London, Hong Kong, Taipei, Singapore, Bangkok and Shanghai, winning advertising awards from Cannes, One Show, D&AD, New York and the United Nations. While working in Shanghai, he loved walking through the old quarters of that amazing city, developing the idea behind a series of crime novels featuring Inspector Pyotr Danilov, set in the 1920s. When he’s not writing, he splits his time between the UK and Asia, taking pleasure in playing with his daughter, practising downhill ironing, single-handedly solving the problem of the French wine lake, and wishing he were George Clooney.

In the spirit of The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown and Shadows of the Stone Benders by K. Patrick Donoghue The Girl Who Knew Da Vinci by Belle Ami unravels an unforgettable mystery.

Three destinies, one remarkable painting.

Will her visions lead her to the truth?

Art historian Angela Renatus is haunted by dreams of Leonardo da Vinci and a mysterious painting of Giuliano Medici and his mistress Fioretta Gorini. A painting that, as far as the world knows, doesn’t exist. Compelled by her visions, Angela is determined to find out the truth.

When Angela is contacted by art detective, Alex Caine, she’s shocked to learn that he too is seeking the same painting. Alex’s client, a wealthy German financier, is determined to clear the name of his late uncle, Gerard Jaeger, an art historian, who went missing in Florence, during World War II. In letters written before his disappearance, the historian describes his love affair with a beautiful young Italian woman named Sophia Caro, and the discovery of an extraordinary painting by the great master himself—a painting depicting Giuliano and Fioretta.

Alex and Angela journey to Florence in search of the priceless treasure. Is it a lost da Vinci, potentially worth hundreds of millions of dollars, or a wild goose-chase that will only lead to a dead end? But someone else is searching for the illusive painting—Alberto Scordato is a powerful man in the art world and a sociopath who will stop at nothing to get what he wants, even murder. Scordato knows something about Angela that even she doesn’t know, something that could threaten both Angela and Alex’s lives, forcing them into the crosshairs of fate.

About the Author:

Belle Ami writes intriguing romantic/suspense/thrillers with a teaspoon of sex. A self-confessed news junky she loves to create cutting-edge stories about politics, espionage, and redemptive love.

She is a Kathryn McBride scholar of Bryn Mawr College in Pennsylvania. Writing, cooking, spinning, hiking, boxing, and skiing are her passions.

She is the author of The Only One series, The One (#1), and The One & More (#2). Her third in the series titled One More Time is Not Enough, was published July 13th, 2016. She was honored to be included in the RWA LARA Christmas Anthology Holiday Ever After featuring her short story The Christmas Encounter. Her next series entitled The Tip of the Spear begins with Escape, published January 10, 2017. The sequel to Escape, entitled Vengeance was published September 12, 2017.

The Girl Who Knew da Vinci is her latest release. It’s an intriguing romance/paranormal/thriller. She is currently working on book three of The Tip of the Spear Series, titled Ransom.

She lives in Southern California with her husband, two children, a horse named Cindy Crawford, and her brilliant Chihuahua, Giorgio Armani.

Ever since they were kids, Shannon has been in love with her best friend's old brother, Holden. She once hoped that Holden would come to his senses and accept that they are meant to be together.

Holden, on the other hand, only ever saw Shannon as his kid sister's best friend, and a royal pain with her crush. That was, until one night in college when his sister and Shannon visited him. That was when Holden saw Shannon for the beautiful, vibrate young woman she had grown into.

When he returned home from college, he planned to declare his feelings to her; to tell her that he realized what he had been denying all these years and to give them a chance. However, he was too late. Shannon had finally taken the hint and moved on, dating another man, one she agreed to marry. The only place left for Holden was in the friend zone.

In a turn of fate, circumstances change and Shannon feels like she has no choice but to leave town with a secret of her own. Holden, meanwhile, will do anything to mend their friendship and hopefully build it into something more.

Will Holden be able to handle the surprises that are coming his way and continue to love Shannon the way he really wants to? Can Shannon trust the man who drove her out of her home and hurt her yet again?

About the Author: Diane Zparkki - I was born and raised in the greater Toronto area and raised my own family in the suburbs of the city. I'm a busy working mom with writing being my second full time job. With my husband, we have raised three great kids. Who constantly keep me on my toes and laughing. I enjoy planning themed parties and traveling with my family creating memories. Thrill seeking of some sort is always on the menu which I usually drags my family along with me. Going to the movies is always a good night out or curling up with a book and a steaming cup of tea. I have been known to do some Netflix binge watching.I was never a big reader or writer in my youth-Coles Notes were my best friend throughout college. My enthusiasm for reading came later in life when I joined a book club. I enjoyed reading those initial books that got me hooked into the literary world, but I wanted raw, simple, and happily ever after with a bit of get down and dirty. That was when my love for Alpha bad boys on a Harley was set in motion.After becoming an avid reader, my mind started to create my first story, and I needed to get it out.Fixing Sydney and Holden's Regrets are the first two of Branson's Kind of Love Trilogy. I hope you enjoy Sydney and Holden's stories with Logan's coming in the near future.Connect with Diane: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

Artist Theia Constas receives a tour of Italy from her grandmother as a college graduation present. Before she departs, her ya-ya’s deathbed revelation of a cache of WW II photographs and love letters extends Theia’s itinerary to Crete in search of her unknown grandfather, a promising artist who studied under Chagall but didn’t survive the war.

Wade Bingham, an actuary who always follows the rules and calculates the odds, finds himself alone on his honeymoon trip, wondering why his fiancée jilted him at the last minute.

In the wrong place at the wrong time when their hotel in Florence, Italy, is besieged by terrorists, the two strangers find themselves thrust together in Wade’s honeymoon suite. Immediately attracted to each other, Wade conducts a siege of his own to win Theia’s heart.About the Author:

Marilyn Baron writes in a variety of genres, from women’s fiction to historical romantic thrillers and romantic suspense to paranormal/fantasy. Her latest book, The Siege: A Novel, a mainstream women’s fiction set in Italy and Greece, released January 8, 2018, is her 14th novel with The Wild Rose Press, Inc. and her 23rd work of fiction. AmazonEncore republished her psychic suspense novel Sixth Sense in 2015. She is also one of six authors of Love Around the Table, a short story anthology published November 1, 2017. She’s published five short stories with TWB Press.She’s received writing awards in Single Title, Suspense Romance, Novel With Strong Romantic Elements and Paranormal//Fantasy Romance. She is The 2017 Finalist for the Georgia Author of the Year Awards in the Romance Category for Stumble Stones: A Novel.A public relations consultant in Atlanta, Marilyn graduated with a BS in Journalism (Public Relations) and a minor in English (Creative Writing) from the University of Florida. She worked in Public Relations for AT&T in Atlanta for 13 years before starting her own PR firm.She serves on the 2018-2019 Roswell Reads Steering Committee and the Atlanta Authors committee and she presented on an Atlanta Writers Club panel at the 2017 AJC-Decatur Book Festival.

Read more about Marilyn’s books, short stories, and other works of fiction at http://www.marilynbaron.com.Connect with Marilyn:Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | Website

Beneath the earth’s surface, candles
cast abstract patterns on the backs of nine people huddled together. The wind
whipped the sooty air, causing flames to flash and sketch skewed halos across
the participants’ heads. Someone groaned, others sighed, a testament to the
evening’s grueling debate. Only their leader remained focused, smoothed over
differences, preventing hurtful words or actions from spinning off into
permanent wounds.

“I’m willing to go over the issue
again,” he said, “even though I doubt further discussion is necessary.”

A female spoke up. “I don’t like any
of this. Maybe we should just admit defeat.”

The leader turned to her, his
creased forehead and steely demeanor barely visible in the amber glow; still,
she felt his cool appraisal, and more significantly his release of animal
pheromone, bending her to his will. She shrank back.

“There’ll be no admission of
defeat,” he said. “No giving up. Sometimes we have to make hard choices. Risk
everything if necessary.” His voice was calm but with a serrated edge, since he
had learned years ago that he could get more with subtle intimidation, using
tricks as simple as flared nostrils. Of course, if more was needed, threats
remained a viable option.

Another man spoke up. “I’ve made my
decision,” he said with a wink toward the leader, “and I’m ready to vote. We’ve
been going round and round for the past month. I think we should just get this
over with.”

“I’m ready too,” said the leader. “But”—he
held up a finger—“with one stipulation. Due to the subject matter, I don’t want
to use secret ballots like we usually do. This must be a unanimous decision. I
need to know we’re in this together.” He looked at each member. “Agreed?”

There was fidgeting, murmurs,
grunts, but finally nods of approval all around.

“Good. Then let’s do it. Everyone
knows my position. We’ve covered the pros and cons down to the last detail. So
if you trust me, believe in me, you’ll follow my recommendation. Now those in
favor, raise your hands.”

Immediately, five hands shot up, then
two others, and, after a protracted pause, an eighth. Only a half-smile
appeared on the leader’s face since one more affirmation was needed to ensure
complete triumph. He narrowed his eyes to envelop the sole dissident, a
plain-looking woman known for her stubbornness. “Mary, Mary, Mary,” he said,
repeating her name with a shake of his head. Taken aback at being the lone
holdout, the woman felt a catch in her throat followed by an acrid taste on her
tongue, prompting second thoughts. Like a helium balloon, her hand soared into
the air.

“That’s better,” said the leader,
staring at the troublemaker with a laser beam’s intensity. Springing to his
feet, he rose on his toes, adding not only height but the illusion of strength.
“The motion is approved,” he said, chest out, smiling ear to ear. “And now, my
friends, my dear, dear friends—I bid you a pleasant night.”